The Mating Dance
by La Rose Noire
Summary: Draco must find a way to make Granger his or face the consequences of his veela heritage. Luckily, he has a lot of Slytherin help.
1. Default Chapter

DISCLAIMER: Hermione, Severus, Draco and all their friends belong to JK Rowling, Scholastic Books and everyone else with a copyright. I'm just letting them out to play a bit 'til the next book or movie comes out and they have to get back to their day jobs.  
  
A/N: This has been posted preveiously at aff.net, but I have been requested to make a more um, accessible version as well for posting here. Since I haven't yet written the love scenes, it seems a simple thing to do.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Draco tried to ignore the stares of Parkinson, Ellsworth and Kenyon as he passed through the Slytherin common room. Damn Uncle Severus and his schedule; he had almost left it too long this time. The girls were looking at him like he was a jumbo box of Honeyduke's Chocolate Ecstasy Truffles, and he found it unnerving, to say the least. He stepped through the portrait hole and hurried down the corridor, resisting the urge to break into a run.  
  
Malfoys didn't run; even hurrying was reserved for emergencies only, and judging by the look on Hannah Abbott's face, this was an emergency.  
  
"Draco." Her voice was low and filled with longing and he could feel her eyes on his back as he pushed past her rudely without acknowledging her presence. He stepped up his pace, assuring himself that he was *not* running.  
  
Yet.  
  
He knocked on the door of the Potions Master's office, relaxing slightly upon hearing a curt "Enter!" Closing the door carefully behind him, he crossed to join the professor at the worktable where he was carefully decanting a glowing violet liquid into a goblet.  
  
"Is it ready?" Draco was pleased to note that his voice was calm and cool, as usual.  
  
"Really, Draco. Such deplorable manners. What would your mother say? No 'Good afternoon, Uncle Severus. How are you this fine day?'"  
  
Draco snorted. "Good afternoon, Uncle Severus. How are you this fine day? Is it ready?"  
  
Severus Snape raised a single eyebrow. "Almost. It needs to cool a bit first. What, may I inquire, is your hurry? There is another week before the month is up."  
  
Draco paced back and forth, his hands in his pockets. "It's started already. I need to take the potion now, as soon as it's cooled."  
  
Severus watched the boy pace as he examined his condition. Disheveled appearance, dark circles under his eyes indicating a distinct lack of sleep, a sense of controlled preoccupation. Coupled with the diminished efficacy of the potion, it could only mean one thing.  
  
"You've found her." It was a statement, not a question.  
  
"Yes, at long last I've bloody well found her." Draco's words were bitter. "Right on schedule and right here at Hogwarts."  
  
Severus frowned. "I would think you would be overjoyed at the chance to put all this" - he waved a hand at the goblet on the table - "behind you."  
  
Draco stopped his pacing and turned to face the older man. "I would love nothing more than to be able to be normal again, to stop drinking that foul concoction of yours every damn month to keep the female population of Hogwarts from losing what few wits they have every time they look at me. Unfortunately, it's not quite that easy. I can't exactly walk up to her, throw her over my shoulder, take her to my room and ravish her until she agrees to be mine forever."  
  
Severus decided not to point out that, if he wished, Draco could use his inherent magnetism and do precisely that. "Are you quite sure you have found the right one?"  
  
Draco snorted inelegantly in response. "Believe me, she's the one. I can barely stand to be in the same room with her. She.glows, like a beacon in a storm. And the way she smells." Draco shook his head, trying to clear it of the remembered scent of rain and roses, overlayed with the musky scent of a woman. "She's definitely the one, Merlin help me. I always thought they were exaggerating when they said that I would know her when the time came, that my body and soul would cry out for her, but they weren't." He turned haunted eyes to his godfather. "It's everything they said it was and more, Uncle Severus. It really is enough to drive one mad."  
  
"No one will be going mad anytime soon, Draco." Severus stood and placed his hands on the younger man's shoulders, holding him still. "Your mother dealt with this successfully, and so will you. You are a Malfoy, boy, and a Malfoy is not easily driven mad, even if he is part veela."  
  
"You know how mother dealt with this, Uncle Severus." Draco couldn't hide his revulsion.  
  
"Lucius loves your mother, Draco," Severus reminded him.  
  
"He had no choice, and you know it! She *made* him love her, or at least believe he does! She took him into her bed as soon as she realized who he was, and he had no choice after that. She'll never know if he *truly* loves her, or if he's with her because she gave him no choice in the matter. I won't do that, Uncle Severus. I can't. She deserves better."  
  
Severus sighed as he recognized the look on the boy's face. "You're in love with her, aren't you? Well, that certainly complicates things." He thought for a moment. "You'll simply have to see to it that she falls in love with you as well. Most of the silly girls in this school are half in love with you already, even with the potion in effect. I'm sure if you woo her properly, it won't take long."  
  
Draco interrupted. "She can't stand me, Uncle Severus, and I really can't blame her." Severus eyes widened in horror and realization. Draco nodded in the affirmative. "Yes. Granger is the one I am destined for. Going mad is beginning to look like a distinct possibility, isn't it?" 


	2. Slytherin Plans

DISCLAIMER: Hermione, Severus, Draco and all their friends belong to JK Rowling, Scholastic Books and everyone else with a copyright. I'm just letting them out to play a bit 'til the next book or movie comes out and they have to get back to their day jobs.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
"Please." Severus' tone of voice made it clear that what followed was not a request, but an order, regardless of the phrasing. "Do stop with the Gryffindor melodrama. It would be my hope that your.upcoming attachment to Miss Granger would serve to eliminate some of her more pronounced Gryffindor shortcomings, but you seem to be inheriting them instead. I will not stand for that."  
  
Draco had the good grace to look sheepish. "Sorry, Uncle Severus." He seated himself in one of the chairs in front of the fireplace and leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He was so tired; it had been weeks since he had slept properly.  
  
Severus watched his godson, an unaccustomed look of concern on his face. The boy was obviously in a bad way, and his inherent sense of honour - something he had certainly not inherited from either of his parents, Merlin knew - was not going to let him take the easy way out. Severus allowed himself a brief feeling of pride in the way the younger Malfoy had turned out before turning his mind to the problem at hand.  
  
If he couldn't take the easy way out, there was always the Slytherin way.  
  
"Draco, have you given any thought to your plan to win Miss Granger's heart?" Draco's eyes flew open and he looked at the older man with amazement. "I assumed you had a plan, since throwing yourself at her feet during dinner in the Great Hall didn't seem to be an option."  
  
"Actually, I'd considered that, but I discarded that idea for obvious reasons. I may be left with no choice, though; I can't get near enough to her to do anything else. Potter and the Weasel won't let me within five feet of Granger. I've been trying to talk to her for the last week, but I can't get near the girl!"  
  
Severus thought for a moment. "I think, with a slight change in my lesson plan, I can see to it that you and Miss Granger spend some time working together without interference."  
  
Draco smiled. "Thank you, Uncle Severus. By the way, I don't suppose you'd have a copy of the Head Girl's patrol schedule lying around, would you?"  
  
It was Severus' turn to smile. "Why, yes, Draco, I do believe I have a copy here somewhere. Of course, it won't do you any good. If you were to run into the Head Girl while she was patrolling, it could result in a loss of points for Slytherin House.unless, of course, you were there on an errand for one of your professors."  
  
"Of course, sir. I would never venture out after curfew without permission!" Draco's smile died. "Since you're being so helpful, do you think you could put Lucius under an Imperius and keep him from doing or saying something that will completely destroy any chance I may ever have with Granger?"  
  
Severus scowled. "How could you suggest such a thing! You should know your father better than that. He spent too many years in the Dark Lord's service to be susceptible to a long term Imperius. I'm afraid you are going to have to take more drastic measures."  
  
Draco paled and shook his head in denial. "Please, don't make me! You know what will happen!"  
  
Severus dropped a hand on his godson's shoulder and squeezed it consolingly. "I'm sorry, Draco, but I don't see any way around it. You're going to have to write your mother and tell her about Miss Granger and let her handle Lucius."  
  
Draco buried his head in his hands. "Tell mother I've found the one or go mad. Madness is beginning to look better and better." 


	3. Midnight Encounter

DISCLAIMER: Hermione, Severus, Draco and all their friends belong to JK Rowling, Scholastic Books and everyone else with a copyright. I'm just letting them out to play a bit 'til the next book or movie comes out and they have to get back to their day jobs.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Draco shifted silently, wondering exactly how much time had elapsed since he had taken up his position in the shadows to lie in wait. He'd arrived early; he couldn't contain his impatience once he knew that he would finally see her, alone. He'd paced his room for an hour before he could wait no longer and he'd headed out to wait for her.  
  
Where was she?  
  
He sighed softly and shifted again. She should be here any minute if Uncle Severus' copy of the Head Girl's patrol schedule was correct. If it was, there was no chance of her not coming down this corridor. It was on the schedule, and Granger always did exactly what she was supposed to do, exactly on time. He just had to wait a little longer.  
  
Draco knew the minute she stepped foot onto the third floor.  
  
She was still 10 or 12 meters away, but he knew she was there, even if he couldn't see her or hear her yet. Every nerve in his body was attuned to her, every fibre of his being drawn to her, like a plant to the sun, and he could feel her presence. Draco drew in a shaky breath and closed his eyes, firmly shoring up his self control before stepping from the shadows into the flickering torchlight and heading down the corridor.  
  
He heard her soft footfalls first. His eyes searched for her greedily; he could feel her, hear her, and he wanted, needed to see her. When she came around the corner into sight he stopped, momentarily unable to breathe. His eyes devoured her, moving over her possessively, lingering over the feminine curves barely visible beneath her school robe. He watched her move towards him slowly, his heart beating in time to the soft sway of her hips.  
  
"Malfoy?" Her voice was soft in the deserted half light of the corridor.  
  
He forced air into his lungs, not sure if his sudden light headedness was due to lack of oxygen or finally being near her. "Granger." His voice was low and rough, filled with the need and hunger that burned in him.  
  
She was the one, the only one, a part of him, and everything in him cried out to touch her, taste her, join with her and never let her go. She was so close, it would be so easy to bury his hands in all that wild hair, to cover her lush lips with his, to draw that soft body against his and make her feel the same aching, desperate need for him that he felt for her. His hands curled into fists as he fought the overwhelming desire to reach for her, barely noticing when his nails bit into the skin of his palms, drawing blood.  
  
"Malfoy? Is everything all right?"she asked, uncertainly. She stepped closer, trying to get a better look at his face and he breathed deeply, drinking in her scent.  
  
"Everything's fine, Granger - thanks for asking." He forced his voice into some semblance of its usual arrogance.  
  
"You aren't supposed to be here, Malfoy." Her tone was prissy and scolding. He suddenly wanted nothing more in the world than to make it up to her; he wondered what her reaction would be if he offered to lick her from head to toe, or to slide his fingers into her wet silken heat and stroke her until she shattered. "Malfoy? Are you sure you're okay?"  
  
"I told you, Granger, I'm fine." He took a deep, steadying breath and took a deliberate step away from her, stifling a groan as his erection shifted and throbbed. He'd never been this hard, ached so much for release, and she hadn't even touched him.  
  
Granger scowled. "Well, so sorry I asked. There's no need to be a git, Malfoy. Of course, you wouldn't know how to be anything else, would you?"  
  
His eyes searched hers. "Is that really what you think? That I'm the same arrogant little prat I was a few years ago?"  
  
She looked taken aback for a moment before regarding him through narrowed her eyes. "Aren't you? Look at all the terrible things you say to poor Harry and Ron, all the awful names you call them!"  
  
He rolled his eyes in response. "And what about the 'terrible things' Potter and Weasley say to me?"  
  
She snorted delicately and tossed her head. "It takes two to tango, Malfoy!"  
  
"True, Granger, but someone has to ask for the dance. I think, if you pay a bit more attention, you'll find that Potter and Weasley are the ones filling my dance card, not the other way around." He watched her consider his statement, her small white teeth worrying her bottom lip, and was suddenly desperate to find out what they would feel like doing that to his skin.  
  
It was time to go before he did anything he would regret later. "If you'll excuse me, I'm on an errand for Professor Snape and I don't think he would appreciate being kept waiting."  
  
He swept past her, deliberately brushing her body with his, smiling at her sharp intake of breath. "Good night, Granger. Sweet Dreams." He threw his farewell over his shoulder, not daring to look at her.  
  
*********************************  
  
Hermione stood and stared after him. What the hell just happened? She'd just had a civil conversation with Malfoy. Well, she was pretty sure it was Malfoy. He'd looked like Malfoy, and he'd smelled like Malfoy (she avoided thinking about how she knew exactly what Draco Malfoy smelled like) but the way he'd looked at her...  
  
She shivered at the memory of the look in his grey eyes when he looked at her. There was hunger there, and need. There had been something almost predatory about him tonight and it had touched some deep, primitive, very female part of her she hadn't known existed before. For a moment all she'd wanted was to throw herself in his arms, to feel her body yield to his, to let him take anything and everything she had to give  
  
Hermione shook her head and started back down the corridor toward the stairs. It was late and she was tired and it was making her imagine things. That was the only explanation. 


End file.
